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lO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Bc it known that I, JAMES L. HENDERSON, of Covington, in the county of Kenton, and State of Kentucky, have invented a new andusei'ul Improvement in the Construction of the Framework of Buildings for the Support ofv Hearths and Fireplaces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specilication, in which- Figure 1 is al perspective view of the frame when the joists are set at right angles to the face ofthe fireplace.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same when the joists are set parallel with the face of the fireplace.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the iron shoe.

The same letters in all the figures where used indicate identical parten In framing around the fireplace and hearth, the ordina-ry mode is to frame double-trimmer joists on the'sides and a double-head trimmer in frontthe tail-joists being framed with a double mortise through the head-trimmer.

The hearth is supported upon a trimmer-arch, a brick arch being thrown across from the head-trimmer to the breast of thechimney, resting on the trimmer-arch, made either of wood or iron and wood. i

My improvements consist in constructing both the side and head-trimmers of single joists, and dispensing entirely with the trimmer-arch, and substituting therefor a horizontal frame, extending from the head-trimmer to the breast of the chimney, supported upon the tail-joists when they are set at right angles to the front of the fireplace, or upon joists cut to part of their width where thejoists are parallel to the front of the fireplace. In the drawings, A A are the side trimmers, B the head-trimmer, C the tail-joists, D the joists running parallel with the front of the fireplace, E the horizontal hearth-frame, and F the slices.' Whore thejoists are set at right angles to the face of the chimney, as shown in iig. 1, the side trimmers are set into the walls on each side of the hearth, and the headtrimmer -placed across them at what is intended to be the front of the hearth. The tailfjoists C Vare attached to the head-trimmer and cut away to part of their depth, so as to extend under the horizontal hearth-frame E to the breast4 of the chimney, to which they are attached by the shoes F, which are'made of iron, bolted to the end of the tail-joists, and inserted in the brick-work of the chimney. The hearth is placed on the frame E. In the case where the joists run parallel to the faeeoi" the fireplace, as shown in fig. 2, the construction must be modified, as there shown. The side trimmers are here` attached t0 the joists D, which are cut away to part of their width to receive the hearth. The head-trimmer is formed by one of thejoists, and the hearth-frame is placed upon the `joists, as shown at D. The short joists at the side are attached to the sides of the chimney by shoes F.

The advantages ot' this improved construction are, rst, that it is cheaper, and, secondly, that it is stronger and more permanent. The ordinary brick arch adds to the weight without adding to the strength, and by settling it very often'eracks the ceiling in the room below. As the hearth in my improved mode' of construction is supported upon `the joists there can be no settling against the ceiling below.

What I cla-im as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

l. So arranging the frame for supporting the hearth that the latter shall rest upon a horizontal iiooring, E, supported upon jroists extending entirely across the hearth space either longitudinally or laterally, substantially in the manner set forth.

2. Framing around the hearth and fireplace of buildings with single-head and side-trimmers, and extending the `joists under-the hearth, so as to dispense with the trimmer-arch and brick arch, substantially as set forth.

3. The mode of connecting the tail-juiste C 'with the breast of the chimney by metallic shoes F, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAS. L. HENDERSON.r

Witnesses:

J. MeKENNEY, WM. A. M cKENNEY,V 

